Feyenoord battled back to draw 1-1 with 10-man AC Milan and secure their passage into the Champions League last 16 with a 2-1 aggregate win.
2024/2025 UEFA Champions League
1-1
Match Report
Feyenoord battled back to draw 1-1 with 10-man AC Milan and secure their passage into the Champions League last 16 with a 2-1 aggregate win.
The Dutch club fielded their youngest ever starting XI in a Champions League match, with an average age of 23 years and 258 days, but they got the job done thanks to a 73rd-minute goal from substitute Julian Carranza.
Milan raced in front after just 36 seconds at San Siro on Tuesday, with Santiago Gimenez heading in against his former club.
Yet Theo Hernandez's red card early in the second half – which came when he received a second yellow for simulation – gave Feyenoord plenty of hope.
And they took their chance with both hands, as Carranza headed home from Hugo Bueno's delivery.
A fracas at the final whistle saw Feyenoord's Givairo Read and Milan forward Rafael Leao sent off.
Not that it will matter to Pascal Bosschaart's team, who will face Inter or Arsenal in the last 16.
3 - Julián Carranza became the third Argentinian player to score a Champions League goal for Feyenoord, after Julio Ricardo Cruz (6) and Mariano Bombarda (1), no nation outside of the Netherlands (13) has supplied more CL goalscorers for the club than Argentina. Destined. pic.twitter.com/6gHEcbtP3W
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) February 18, 2025
Data Debrief: Sucker punch
Gimenez netted five times in as many Champions League appearances for Feyenoord earlier this season, and the Mexico international became the first player to score for and against the same team in a single campaign in the competition.
Milan could not build on his quickfire opener, though, which was Milan's third-fastest goal in a Champions League match, after Clarence Seedorf vs Schalke in September 2005 (21 seconds) and Alexandre Pato vs Barcelona in September 2011 (24 seconds).
The Rossoneri finished with 18 shots to Feyenoord's six and created chances worth 1.14 expected goals, yet could not find that decisive second before Carranza made the difference with the visitors' only attempt on target.
Feyenoord will play in the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in their history, while Milan have suffered a knockout defeat to a Dutch club in the competition for the first time since losing to Ajax in the 1994-95 final.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
1' Lightening header from Gimenez gives host a wonderful start! Milan 1-0 Feyenoord
9' Reijnders takes a shot attempt but the goal fly above the goal
18' Felix's shoot goes high-off
21' Moder booked a yellow card for his foul to Leao
23' Felix's long-shot saved out by GK, Theo misses a half- open goal!
34' Redmond makes an attempt but couldn't threaten the goalkeeper
40' Pulisic passes into the box, Felix's shoot saved by GK
44' Theo got a yellow for dragging opponent down and caused a clash then
47' Theo's crossing got blocked, Walker's shoot catched by GK
51' Theo sent off for a second yellow card over his diving simulation!
62' Pulisic dribbles into the box and makes a shoot, saved by GK
68' Great tackle from Pavlovic
69' Milambo tries a header but it miss the net
71' Milan make a exchange, Gimenez off, Fofana on
73' Carranza helps visitors retrieve the lead in total score again! Milan 1-1 Feyenoord
76' Match Event for Milan vs Feyenoord
77' Match Event for Milan vs Feyenoord
82' Highlight from Milan vs Feyenoord
Line-ups
Milan XI: Walker, Maignan, Theo, Pulisic, Felix, Santiago Gimenez, Reijnders, Leao, Yunus Musah, Malick Thiaw, S. Pavlovic
Subs: Sportiello, Tomori, Abraham, Chukwueze, Gabbia, Youssouf Fofana, Terracciano, Davide Bartesaghi, Torriani, Francesco Camarda
Feyenoord XI: Timon Wellenreuther, Dávid Hancko, Jakub Moder, Gijs Smal, Igor Paixão, Hugo Bueno, Antoni Milambo, Anis Hadj Moussa, Thomas Beelen, Givairo Read, Zepiqueno Redmond
Subs: Luka Ivanusec, Stengs, Julián Carranza, Plamen Andreev, Shiloh 't Zand, Jeyland Mitchell, Ibrahim Osman, Djomar Giersthove, Aymen Sliti, Ismail Ka, Tobias van den Elshout